Double Path Magic (Day 32)

I started walking today, eager to maintain a fast and steady pace. I expected to cover 20.7 miles, my longest day by far. I had originally planned to camp at Whistling Gap. That would have meant a 14-mile hike today, followed by a 13-mile hike to Erwin, Tennessee, tomorrow. But if I could run the 20 miles today, I could get to Erwin much earlier tomorrow and give my body a little more rest.

Double Path Magic

After just 2 miles of hiking, I was greeted with a magical trail at Sam’s Gap. I thought stopping so early in the day might throw me off schedule, but I wouldn’t let it go. Two of the nicer older gentlemen had prepared quite a spread and were out in the cold grilling hot dogs and making chili for the hikers. They also gave us snacks, coffee and hot chocolate, among other things.

They had driven from Virginia and one of the men had previously attempted an AT hike, but abandoned it due to an injury. The other is a competitive precision shooter and showed me pictures of some of his targets. They were both lovely people. Although sometimes I want (or need) to put in big miles on the trail, I try to honor what makes the AT so special. And the path angels are a big part of that.

The next magical trail we received was only a few kilometers later. It took the form of coolers filled with fruit, hard-boiled eggs, and crackers. There were no tracking angels around, but there was a note asking us to sign the record book. I wish I could remember the name of the organization that provided the food, but I think it was a hiking/trail maintenance group.

to the races

Despite the exciting magical trail intermediates, I was able to walk steadily throughout the day. The highlight was definitely getting to the top of Big Bald. It was a clear, cool day and you could see it for miles. Reminded me of Max Patch in some ways. I wasn’t there for long (mainly because of the cold), but we took some fun photos at the top.

The day passed quickly and I reached a good pace. I definitely think I could have completed the 20.7 miles and camped at No Business Knob Shelter before it got dark. But I decided to stop after 18.1 miles and camp with two friends at a small tent site. We are mostly wind blocked, so tonight doesn’t feel as cold as expected. It’s still my longest day of hiking to date, and tomorrow morning we should have an easy 9 mile descent to Erwin, Tennessee.

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!

For more information, visit the About page of this site.